“What?” I yell, completely taken by surprise.
“Are the FBI involved with VERO?” Theo asks.
Diesel shakes his head. “They are aware of VERO’s existence, but they operate as completely separate entities. VERO wanted to supply intel to the FBI in a way that couldn’t tie back to them. When they found out about Trey’s connection to Neo “Sinner” Lennox, they knew they’d hit pay dirt.”
“Do they want to take The Sainthood down, or is this part of a personal agenda?” I ask.
“Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. I don’t know if it’s Sinner they want to take down, or the entire criminal organization, or it’s about the Leydon murder, or maybe, it’s a combination.” He rubs his hands together. “They wanted Trey to spy for the FBI, and they specifically asked him to find the evidence connecting The Sainthood to Daphne Leydon’s murder.”
“Holy hell,” Caz says, toying with his lip ring. “This gets more complicated by the minute.”
“Everything seems to be connected to that poor woman’s death.” I bite down on my lip, needing to ask a question but wishing I didn’t. “Did you know about the false intel?”
He shoots me a soft smile. “I did. I do.” I avert my eyes, shame washing over me. “You were a kid, Lo, and I’ve always known they blackmailed you into it.”
“Dad told you?” I ask, and he bobs his head. Another question forms in my mind. “Was the FBI supplying the reports Dad was leaving for me to pass to Sinner?” Diesel nods. “And do you think Sinner knew it was them? Is that why Dad was killed? Because he was working for the FBI and trying to find that evidence? Have they known all along he didn’t have it?”
“I think it’s possible they found out about the FBI connection, and your father’s murder was a warning to them to back off. But Sinner’s actions since Trey was killed seems to confirm the evidence is missing and he’s desperately trying to find it. Everything hinges on that evidence. We need to locate it.”
“We’re coming up empty so far,” I say.
“There are various entities seeking the evidence, so we don’t have time to waste. Especially when Sinner is asking you to take out the commissioner. That makes me suspicious as fuck.”
“You think he’s involved?” Galen asks.
“Yes.” Diesel doesn’t falter. “I’m not sure how, but I think he’s up to his neck in this, and Sinner took Daphne to threaten him into silence.”
I’m beginning to suspect the ramifications extend even farther than we think.
“Why were you meeting the DEA agent?” Saint asks.
“He’s the one who gave Ruben the recording,” Diesel confirms.
“They’ve been watching me?”
“Not you.” Diesel glances at the guys. “The Sainthood. I was meeting with him to find out why and to see if I could get my hands on it.”
“And?” Saint asks, growing impatient.
“And he’s a fucking asshole.”
Caz chuckles, and I smile.
“He’s DEA,” Saint drawls. “That’s basically a mandatory requirement if you wanna work for them.”
“He doesn’t care that he’s made you a target, Lo. All he cares about is fucking with the Saints and taking Sinner down.” Saint opens his mouth to ask the obvious question but Diesel holds up a hand. “He fed me the usual bullshit about wanting to remove the biggest player from the streets, but it was fucking lies. I don’t have any facts yet, but this is personal for that guy, and I get a sense he’d trample over everyone and anyone to achieve his goal.”
“He was the one who got them set free,” I say.
“Yep, and the local cops are spitting blood. But The Bulls are his informants, and he got the powers that be to let them go.”
“They’re overlooking the murder of a nobody because taking down one of the largest criminal organizations is worth way more,” I surmise.
“We need to make The Bulls go away,” Saint says, plucking at his lips with his fingers. “They’re getting in the way of what we need to do.”
“Agreed,” Diesel says. “And this is where I can help.” He takes a folded sheet of paper out of his back pocket and hands it to Saint. “That is a shipment of drugs and weapons The Bulls are taking possession of on Thursday. The cargo ship is due to arrive at the docks at four thirty a.m. Ruben will have a few vans waiting. Get that intel handed to the Fenton police chief. He’s a decent guy, and he’ll do what needs to be done. Make sure the message is handed only to him. And use someone reliable.”
“What if the DEA steps in again?” Theo asks.
